“Dinner first,” Kire repeated. “But I’m having a bite now,” she added gleefully, messing up Etta’s hair.
“Hey! No fair!” Etta said, pouting indignantly. 
“Yes fair, I’m rewarding myself for getting us our home back!” Kire said, bending down to lift each girl in one arm. Etta stifled a shriek, while Precy giggled despite her protests. “I’m going to carry you like a baby if you protest like a baby.” 
“Okay! Okay, you win!” Etta said, conceding as she dissolved into giggles. When Kire put them both down, Etta turned to Ruli. “Thank you for the cake,” she said in a polite curtsy, followed by Precy. Kire smiled down at them; she could tell they were excited about the idea of returning to the Palace. She was almost sure they would be reluctant to, having acclimated to the North, and after the painful memories of the night they had to flee. But while she knew such memories were likely never going to go away fully, Kire was glad to see her cousins had inherited the Wyvern resilience. 

When the cousins left to sit down for dinner at the dining hall, Kire turned to Ruli, observing him. He seemed better, at least physically, but his mind was another matter. “How are you feeling?” She could still feel the way he shivered, see the desperate, pleading look in his eyes. The way he clutched her for comfort. “Envy’s eager to see you. If you’re up to it now, we can bring you to the Tower and show you the world gate.”